Print the Biography/Short

Kwak Yoon-Gy

Republic of Korea

SportShort Track
FederationIDSTKOR12612198901
NOCRepublic of Korea
Born26 Dec 1989 in Seoul 
GenderMen
Higher educationSport and Recreation Studies - Yonsei University: Seoul, KOR
LanguagesKorean
OccupationAthlete
ResidenceRepublic of Korea
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 40.239 13 Dec 2014 Shanghai  
    1000m 1:23.007 21 Oct 2012 Calgary  
    1500m 2:09.548 10 Dec 2011 Shanghai  
    3000m 4:40.401 11 Mar 2012 Shanghai  
Main Achievements
 
Main Achievements
Olympic Games
Event  
Olympic Games
    5000m Relay   2    
World Championships
Event  
World Championships
    500m   1 1  
    1000m 1 1 1  
    1500m 1 2    
    5000m Relay 4   2  
    Overall 1 1    
World Junior Championships
Event  
World Junior Championships
    Overall     1  
World Team Championships
Event  
World Team Championships
    Team 2   1  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sportHe took up short track as a hobby in order to increase his fitness.  
When and where did you begin this sport?He began skating at age six at an ice rink in Mokdong, Republic of Korea.  
Club / TeamGoyang City Hall: Republic of Korea  
General Interest
General Interest
Other informationOTHER ACTIVITIES
In 2019 he started a YouTube channel, where he uploads videos up to three times a week. His intention is to boost the popularity of short track through his videos. The channel had about 170,000 subscribers before the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, but that number has since exceeded one million. "I thought that it was a system error on YouTube, after seeing the popularity of my channel skyrocket in the lead-up to the Games." (MBC, 02 Mar 2022; YouTube channel, 29 Oct 2021; joongang.co.kr, 27 May 2021)

RACE FIXING
In May 2010 he was banned from competition for three years by the Korea Skating Union [KSU] as a result of his involvement in rigging the outcome of short track races. Along with national teammate Lee Jung-Su, he was punished by a special joint committee comprised of members of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korean Olympic Committee [KOC] and the KSU. The pair later had their suspensions reduced to six months on appeal, but Kwak's coach Jeon Jae-Mok was given a life ban. (unn.net, 03 Feb 2011; usatoday.com, 19 May 2010; koreatimes.co.kr, 05 May 2010)
 
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachMo Ji-Soo [club], KOR  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"Dreams come true." (Athlete, 29 Nov 2021)  
Social Media
Social Media
instagram.com/yoongykwak/  
General Interest
General Interest
InjuriesHe had a metal pin inserted into his ankle in March 2013, which meant he was unable to compete at the 2013 World Championships in Debrecen, Hungary. He returned to competition one month later. (Athlete, 09 Dec 2015; mediaus.co.kr, 15 Apr 2013; ohmynews.com, 27 Feb 2013)  
Awards and honoursHe and his teammates received an Excellent Group Award at the 2010 Coca-Cola Athletics Awards Ceremony in the Republic of Korea. The honour was in recognition of their performance in the 5000m relay at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. (yonhapnews.co.kr, 31 Mar 2010)  
HobbiesMaking YouTube videos. (Athlete, 29 Nov 2021)  
NicknamesKwakjabayoongy [translates to 'Hold on tight Yoon-Gy', which is the name of his YouTube channel]. (Athlete, 29 Nov 2021)  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2009/2010 World Championships 1500m1  
    2011/2012 World Championships 1000m1  
    2011/2012 World Championships Overall1  
    2021/2022 World Championships 5000m Relay1  
    2009/2010 World Championships 5000m Relay1  
    2009/2010 World Team Championships Team1  
    2007/2008 World Championships 5000m Relay1  
    2008/2009 World Team Championships Team1  
    2017/2018 World Championships 5000m Relay1  
    2009/2010 World Championships Overall2  
    2009/2010 World Championships 1000m2  
    2008/2009 World Championships 1500m2  
    2008/2009 World Championships 500m2  
    2011/2012 World Championships 1500m2  
    2022 Olympic Games 5000m Relay2  
    2010 Olympic Games 5000m Relay2  
    2004/2005 World Junior Championships Overall3  
    2011/2012 World Championships 500m3  
    2015/2016 World Championships 5000m Relay3  
    2021/2022 World Championships 1000m3  
    2007/2008 World Team Championships Team3  
    2011/2012 World Championships 5000m Relay3  
    2008/2009 World Championships 1000m4  
    2008/2009 World Championships Overall4  
    2010 Olympic Games 500m4  
    2018 Olympic Games 5000m Relay4  
    2015/2016 World Championships 1000m6  
    2008/2009 World Championships 5000m Relay6  
    2021/2022 World Championships Overall8  
    2015/2016 World Championships 1500m8  
    2015/2016 World Championships 500m10  
    2015/2016 World Championships Overall11  
    2021/2022 World Championships 1500m16  
    2009/2010 World Championships 500m31  
    2021/2022 World Championships 500m44  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2015/2016 World Cup Classification 1500m1  
    2011/2012 World Cup Classification 1000m1  
    2012/2013 World Cup Classification 1000m1  
    2011/2012 Nagoya 1000m1  
    2008/2009 Salt Lake City, UT 1000m1  
    2007/2008 Quebec City 500m1  
    2008/2009 Sofia 1000m1  
    2011/2012 Salt Lake City, UT 1000m1  
    2011/2012 Moscow 1000m1  
    2011/2012 Shanghai 1000m1  
    2009/2010 Beijing 500m1  
    2008/2009 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m Relay1  
    2014/2015 Montreal, QC 5000m Relay1  
    2015/2016 Shanghai 1000m1  
    2012/2013 Shanghai 1000m1  
    2017/2018 Seoul 5000m Relay1  
    2014/2015 Shanghai 500m1  
    2014/2015 Shanghai 5000m Relay1  
    2015/2016 Montreal, QC 1500m1  
    2012/2013 Montreal, QC 1000m1  
    2012/2013 Shanghai 1000m1  
    2015/2016 Toronto, ON 1500m1  
    2007/2008 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m Relay1  
    2011/2012 Saguenay, QC 5000m Relay1  
    2007/2008 Quebec City 5000m Relay1  
    2009/2010 Beijing 5000m Relay1  
    2009/2010 Seoul 5000m Relay1  
    2007/2008 Turin 5000m Relay1  
    2007/2008 Heerenveen 5000m Relay1  
    2009/2010 Montreal, QC 5000m Relay1  
    2012/2013 Calgary, AB 5000m Relay1  
    2012/2013 Shanghai 5000m Relay1  
    2021/2022 Dordrecht 5000m Relay1  
    2012/2013 Montreal, QC 5000m Relay1  
    2012/2013 Nagoya 5000m Relay1  
    2008/2009 World Cup Classification 1000m2  
    2007/2008 World Cup Classification 500m2  
    2008/2009 Nagano 1000m2  
    2011/2012 Saguenay, QC 1500m2  
    2011/2012 Dordrecht 500m2  
    2011/2012 Salt Lake City, UT 1500m2  
    2007/2008 Salt Lake City, UT 500m2  
    2007/2008 Kobe 1000m2  
    2011/2012 Nagoya 1000m2  
    2008/2009 Dresden 500m2  
    2008/2009 Beijing 1000m2  
    2015/2016 Toronto, ON 5000m Relay2  
    2017/2018 Shanghai 5000m Relay2  
    2012/2013 Calgary, AB 1500m2  
    2014/2015 Seoul 1000m2  
    2014/2015 Erzurum 5000m Relay2  
    2014/2015 Seoul 3000m2  
    2015/2016 Nagoya 500m2  
    2015/2016 Dordrecht 1500m2  
    2008/2009 Nagano 5000m Relay2  
    2008/2009 Dresden 5000m Relay2  
    2011/2012 Moscow 5000m Relay2  
    2021/2022 Debrecen 5000m Relay2  
    2014/2015 World Cup Classification 500m3  
    2011/2012 World Cup Classification 1500m3  
    2011/2012 Shanghai 1500m3  
    2008/2009 Vancouver 500m3  
    2009/2010 Seoul 1000m3  
    2007/2008 Heerenveen 500m3  
    2007/2008 Kobe 500m3  
    2015/2016 Dresden 1500m3  
    2015/2016 Toronto, ON 1000m3  
    2015/2016 Shanghai 1500m3  
    2015/2016 Dordrecht 500m3  
    2021/2022 Beijing 2000m Relay3  
    2012/2013 Sochi 1500m3  
    2014/2015 Dresden 500m3  
    2014/2015 Montreal, QC 500m3  
    2012/2013 Calgary, AB 1000m3  
    2011/2012 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m Relay3  
    2011/2012 Dordrecht 5000m Relay3  
    2009/2010 Marquette, MI 5000m Relay3  
    2009/2010 World Cup Classification 500m4  
    2008/2009 World Cup Classification 500m4  
    2015/2016 Dresden 5000m Relay4  
    2014/2015 Dresden 5000m Relay4  
    2014/2015 Dresden 1500m4  
    2017/2018 Shanghai 1000m4  
    2015/2016 Dresden 1500m4  
    2015/2016 World Cup Classification 1000m5  
    2009/2010 World Cup Classification 1000m7  
    2015/2016 World Cup Classification 500m9  
    2012/2013 World Cup Classification 1500m9  
    2014/2015 World Cup Classification 1500m10  
    2007/2008 World Cup Classification 1000m13  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 500m13  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification 500m14  
    2014/2015 World Cup Classification 1000m15  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification 1000m15  
    2011/2012 World Cup Classification 500m16  
    2014/2015 Erzurum 1000m16  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification 1500m19  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1500m20  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1000m22  
    2007/2008 World Cup Classification 1500m29  
    2008/2009 Dresden 1000m39  
    2014/2015 Erzurum 500m39  
    2012/2013 World Cup Classification 500m80